Hydrocarbon-lamp.



No. 868,069. A PATLNTEDOGT. 15, 1907."

T. H. BLAIR.

v HYDRooARBoN LAMP.

ArrLlcATIoN FILED APB. o, 190s.

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No. 868,069. PATENTED OCT. 15, 1907.

T. H. BLAIR. t

HYDROCARBON LAMP. APPLICATION FILED .123.210, 1903.

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No. 868,069. PATENTEDQGT.' A15, 1907.. T, H. BLAIR. v

HYDRocARBoN. LAMP. APPLICATION FILED PR. 20, 1903.

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bis ftoc UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

THOMAS H. BLAIR, OF NORTHBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

-TO BLAIR LIGHT COMPANY', OF NORTHBORQ MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

HYDRooARBoN-LAMP.

.Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed April 20,1903I Serial No. 153,434.

To all 'whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. BLAIR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Northboro, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Hydrocarbon-Lamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of lamps which use gasolene or other fuel which is first converted into vapor and thenl mixed with air before it is burned.

The especial object of this invention is to provide an improved valve and .means for operating the same to automatically control the feed'of oil, to provide means for automatically preventing excessive pressures from causing the lamp to explode or be injured, said devices comprising a cut outintended to extinguish the lamp whenever an abnormal pressure is generated, and also comprising a safety blow-out for automatically venting the pressure when the same exceeds a desired limit, and to provide for automatically extinguishing the light after the lapse of any desired period of time. l

To these, ends, this invention consists of thev hydrocarbon lamp7 .its attachments, and the combinations of parts as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a side View partially broken away of a hydro-carbon lamp constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the shutter for automatically extinguishing the lamp after the lapse of any desired period of time. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the connections for' extinguishing the lamp when abnormal pressures are generated. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing a safety blow-out arranged in connection with the filling tube. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view partially broken away of the turnplug and its nipple. Fig. 7 is a side View of a lamp partially broken away illustrating a modified construction for operating the turn-plug. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view illustrating a modified construck tion for operating the swinging nipple, and Fig. 10 is a sectional View of the flattened pipe illustrated in Fig. 9.

In a previous United States Patent No. 7 00,47 5 granted May 20, 1902, a hydro-carbon lamp is described and claimed in which the pressure generated in the Vaporizing coil automatically controls the oil supply fed into the vaporizer. In the actual manufacture of lamps embodying this principle,tlie flow of oil into the vaporizer has heretofore been controlled by a needle valve. These valves have been found to operate efficiently when properly adjusted, and when the gasolene or fuel is free from impurities. In some cases, however, needle shut-off valves cannot be used to advantage on account of their liability to become clogged or not to seat themselves properly.

One object of the present invention is to arrange the regulating devices of the class to which this invention relates so that they may operate Small turn-plug valves while further objects of this invention are to provide safety cut-out devices for preventing the lamp from exploding if the automatic regulator should fail to work, or if for any reason abnormal pressure should be generated; and also to provide a lamp of this class with a time controlled cut-out for extinguishing the lamp after the lapse of any desired period of time.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in detail7 A designates the cap or cover which incloses the working part of the lamp, and which is supported by the ordinary fork B.

Extending down from the cap A is the globe G which incloses the burner of the lamp.

The operative parts of the lamp as herein illustrated, comprise an annular' gasolene tank or fuel reservoir 10 from which the oil passes down through the regulating valve 12 through the pipe 11, up through the vaporizing coil to a header 13. The header 13 is connected by a pipe 14 tothe inlet or filling pipe 15 so that the vaporizing pressure will be admitted to the fuel reservoir,

and is also connected by a return bend or trap pipe to the injector' pipe 16.

Pivotally mounted in the lower end of the injector pipe 16 is a turn-plug 17 carrying the nipple 18.

The turn-plug 17 and its nipple 18 are most clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. As shown in this figure, the turnplug 17 is slotted or grooved around a portion only of its periphery7 so that when said turn-plug is turned or shifted from its normal position it Will act as a shut-off valve, cutting off the supply of fuel which normally escapes through the nipple 18.

As shown in Fig. 1, the nipple 18 normally points down into the mixing tube 19 in which the gasolene vapor is mixed with a suflicient supply of air so that the same will burn properly in the burner, indicated by dotted lines. In practice the hole through the nipple 18 is drilled with an exceedingly fine drill, and in order to insure the efficient operation of a lamp of this kind, a frequent inspection, and in some cases, renewal of the nipple is requisite.

One especial object in mounting the nipple 18 upon the turn-plug 17 is to provide a swinging support for the nipple which will permit the nipple to be swung or to be turned up-bylhand in position to be readily inspected and cleaned out when required. Access to these parts for this purpose may be furnished through a small door or opening in the hood A. A further object in mounting the nipple 18 so that it can be swung or turned is to provide for cutting out and extinguishing the lamp when desired by turning the nozzle or nipple 18, so that its supply of vapor will not pass down into the mixing Atube 19 but will be directed to one side thereof, cutting off the supply of uel and extinguishing the lamp. The turning or swinging oi the nipple is automatically controlled by the pressure generated in the lamp either through a diaphragm or otherwise as hereinafter described,

As illustrated in Figs. l and 3, a diaphragm 28 may be mounted in `the diaplnagin casing 27 and connected to operate a lever 29 having a chain flexibly connecting the same with the turn-plug 17.

Engaging the lever 29, as shown in Fig. 3, is a spring arm or regulator 3l, which is arranged to normally hold the lever 29 in its lowest position, but which is forced back and releases the lever 29 when abnormal pressures are exerted upon the diaphragm 28. That is to say, in

this construction instead of depending upon a gradual movement and a throttling action, the forcing back oi the spring arm 3l will unlock or release the diaphragm, so that the swinging nipple will be thrown quickly to one side and the lamp extinguished. During the n ormal operation oi the lamp, however, the cut-out device Will not be brought into operation, the action oi the lamp being controlled by the automatic regulation of the ieed of the oil to the vaporizer.

As shown inFig. l, the turn-plug valve l2 is connected to be operated by a rod 20 having a spring coiled thereon for normally holding the valve open. The rod 20 is connected at its upper end to be operated by a diaphragm inclosed in a diaphragm casing 21, which diaphragm casing is connected with the oil tank or reservoir 10. The action of this automatic regulating mechanism is substantially the same as the construction disclosed in said prior patent No. 700,475, except that the supply is throttled by a turn-plug valve instead of the pointed or needle valves described in said prior patent.

As an additional means for preventing the possibility oi explosion or the escape oi liquid gasol ene, a blow-out is provided which will exhaust the pressure from the upper part yoi the gasolene tank whenever dangerous pressure is exerted therein. This blow-out may be combined with the filling tube and is illustrated most clearly in Figs.' 4 and 5.- Y As shown in these figures, the lling tube l5 has a removable Cap or cover 22 which can be taken ofi to permit the gasolene to be poured into the tank or reservoir.

Threaded into the cap 22 is a nipple 23, and tting on the nipple 23 so as to confine a iiexible membrane 24 of comparatively weak material thereon is a perforated l clamping thimble' 25, which is held in place by the outside cap 2G. In practice pieces 24 of comparatively heavy tin-foil have been used which will be capable of withstanding a pressure of about iity pounds to the square inch, but which will bei-perforated and broken ii subjected to materially high pressures, and it has been ound that this arrangement of parts forms an especially eicient, inexpensive and reliable automatic vent for an oil reservoir oi a lamp of this class', while the location of this saiety blow-out in connection with the filling tube insures an inspection oi the same whenever the gasolene tank or reservoir is vrefilled and the parts are so combined that new pieces oi tinoil or other rangible material may be put in place.

Lamps oi the class to which this invention relates are new quite extensively employed i'or street lighting purposes, and are especially adaptedior use in outlying or suburban regions where electric lamps or other means oi illumination are not available. ln suburban street lighting it is not requisite that the lamps should burn through the entire night, and it is desirable that the lamps should be automatically extinguished when they have burned the required length of time. ln practice this hasheretofore been accomplished by limiting the capacity of the gasolene tank or reservoir, so that the lamp would not burn over certain lengths of time. This is comparatively unreliable, and the same has also been iound to be objectionable as such lamps are required to burn for longer periods during certain seasons of the year, or for other reasons.

A further object oi this invention is to provide time controlled extinguishing connections for extinguishing alamp oi the class referred to alter the lapso of any desired time.

As shown in Fig. l, W designates a small clock which may be oi the ordinary alarm clock type or other ordinary time piece.

The connections controlled from the clock W are most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. Referring to this figure, 32 designates the hour shaft which may be extended down from the clock W. Secured on the shaft 32 is a notched disk 33. Coperating with the notched disk 33 is anarm 34, carried by a spring-pressed shalt 35. Extending from the lower end of the shalt 35 is an arm 3G carrying a shut-ofi plate or a shutter 37 arranged to swing between the nipple 18 andthe mixing tube 19. By means oi this construction, when the notch in the disk 33 comes into engagement with thc arm 34, the shutter 37 will be permitted to swing into place beneath the nipple, deileeting the supply oi gasolene from the mixing tube and extinguishing the lamp.

Many changes may be made in practicing this invention by those who are skilled in the art', for exaluple, the last she-et oi drawings illustrates two different ways in which the swinging nozzle may be automatically operated. i

As shown in Fig. 7, the cap or hood A, the globe G which incloses the burner, the mixing tube i9 for supplying a mixture oi air and gasolene to the burner, may be of the same construction as before described. The injector pipe may be inclosed within a protectiw casing 82, and is provided at its lower end with a turn-plug section 8l carrying the nipple 83. The turn-plug section 8l. may correspond substantially with the turn-plug section ]7 before referred to, except that the same is not intended to operate as a shutoff valve. Cooperating with the turn-plug section Sl is a lever 84 which may be operated by a diaphragm 85. 1n the use oi this construction, the tipping or tilting oi the nipple will not stop the flow of gasolene through the nipple, but will change its direction or deflect the same, so that it will not be led down through the mixing tube 19` Figs. 9 and l0 illustrate a still further modification ot the means for operating the swinging nipple. 1n this construction, the injector pipe 1G is connected with a coil of pipe 8G, which coil of pipe is oi a flattened 01' non-circular cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 10. The end of the coil 86 normally points down into the mixing tube 19, and is provided with a nipple 87 having a wire or pin 88 which may be used to swing or turn the nipple up when the same is to be inspected. The operation of this coil of flattened pipe is substantially the same as the so-called Flemish coil employed for pressure gages. That is to say, an abnormal increase of pressure will tend to straighten the coil so ythat the nipple 87 will be swung or turned from its normal position.

I am aware that certain features of my invention may be used in different locationsand in different combinations from that herein shown and described, for example, either a special automatic regulator7 or the swinging needle, or the time controlled cut-out, or the blow-out for automatically operating the lamp may be applied and used on different structures, or certain ones of said features may be omitted. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the special constructions I have herein shown and described, but

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a yaporizer connected to receive oil ltherefrom, a mixing tube for mixing the vaporized oil with air, a burner arranged to be fed by -the mixed vapor and heating said vaporizer,y a turn-plug regulating valve controlling the flow of oil from the tank into the vaporizer, and regulating mechanism for said valve controlled by the varying pressure in the vaporizer for turning said plug to increase the flow as the pressure falls and to diminish the flow as the pressure increases, the turirplug and the regulatingl mechanism being located exterior to the oil tank.

2. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of a vaporizer, a mixing tube, a swinging` nipple normally directing a supply of vapor' from the vaporizer into themixing tube, and connections for automatically swinging the nip ple out of line with the vaporizer to extinguish the lamp.

In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination ofv a vaporizer, a mixing tube, a swinging nipple normally direct ing its supply of vapor from the vaporizer into the mixing tube, and means controlled by vaporizer pressure for automatically swinging said nipple out of line with the mixing tubeto extinguish the lamp when the vaporizer pressure rises above a desired limit.

4. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combinationof an oil tank, a vaporizer connected to receive oil therefrom, a mixing tube, a swinging nipple directing its supply of vapor from the vaporizer into the mixing tube, a burner supplied from the mixing tube and arranged to heat the vaporizer, and a diaphragm acted upon by pressure in the oil tank and connected to turn the nipple out of line with the mixing tube when the oil tank pressure exceeds a desired limit,

5. In 'a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a vaporizer supplied therefrom, a mixing tube, a nip ple directing its supply oi vapor into the mixing tube, a burner connected with the mixing tube and arranged to heat the vaporizer, a diaphragm acted upon by oil tank pressure, and a flexible connection between the diaphragm and nipple for turning the nipple out of line with the mixing tube to extinguish the lamp when the vaporizer pressure exceeds a desired amount, and also permitting the nipple to be turned or swung to one side by hand for inspection or renewal. l

(i. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a vaporizer supplied therefrom, a mixingtube, a swinging nipple normally directing its supply of vapor into the mixing,- tube, a diaphragm connected to operate the swinging nipple, and a spring detent for said diaphragm for holding the parts in normal position until the vaporizer pressure exceeds a desired limit.

7. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of au oil tank, a vaporizer, a mixing tube, a nipple normally directing its supply of vapor into the mixing tube, a diaphragm casing connected with the oil tank, a diaphragm mounted therein, a lever to be operated by said diaphragm, a exible connection between the lever' and the swinging nipple, and a spring detent engaging vthe lever to hold the diaphragm inoperative until the vaporizer pressure exceeds a desired limit.

'8. In a hydro-carbon lamp, .the combination of an oil tank, a vaporizer supplied therefrom, a burner fed from the vaporizer and arranged to heat the vaporizer, a filling tube ior the oil tank, a removable cap for the lling tube provided with a nipple, a-perforated thimble having a socket, a perforated cap removably attached to the nipple and adapted to clamp the socket of the thimble over the end ot the nipple, and a frangible diaphragm held between the thimble and the nipple, and of sucient thickness to cause the socket of the -thimble to tit tightly on the nipple,

9. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a filling tube therefor, a nipple for the filling tube, a perforated thimble having a socket adapted to set over end ot' the nipple, and a frangible diaphragm held between tached te the nipple adapted to clamp the thimble on the nipple, and a frangible diaphragm held in place between the thimble and nipple, said diaphragm extending between the socket of the thimble and the outside of the nipple, whereby said thimble may be forced over the diaphragm and nipple and held in place by friction.

l0. The combination in a lamp, o a supply tank, a vaporizer, a burner, a valve under control of the pressure in the tank for regulating the iiow of liquid therefrom to the vaporizer, and a supplementary quick-acting valve independent of the iii-st, but also under control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of gas or vapor from the vaporizer to the burner.

11. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure tank, a burner, a vaporizer subjected to the heat of the burner, a valve under control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of liquid from the tank to the vaporizer, and a supplementary quick-acting valve independent of the iii-st, but also under the control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of gas or vapor from the vaporizer to the burner upon the attainment of an ab normal degree of pressure.

12. In a hydro-carbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a vaporizer fed therefrom, a mixing tube, a nipple connected with the vaporizer normally directing its supply or' vapor' into the mixing tube, a shutter, and clock-contrelled connections for interposing the shutter' between the nipple and the mixing tube.'

13. In a hydrocarbon lamp, the combination of an oil tank, a vaporizer, a mixing tube, a nipple connected with the vaporizer and normally directing its supply of vapor into the mixing tube,.a spring-actuated shutter, a notched disk in operative connection with the shutter, and a clock mechanism to turn said disk, and to cause the shutter to be interposed between the nipple and the mixing tube at any desired time. A

14. The combination in a lamp, of a supply tank, a vaporizer, a burnery a valve under control of the pressure in the tank for regulating the flow of iuid therefrom to the vaporizer, and a supplementary valve independent of the first, but also under control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of gas or vapor from the vaporizer to the burner.

l5. The combination in a lamp, of a pressure tank, a burner, a vaporizer subjected to the heat of the burner, a valve under control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of fluid from the tank-to the vaporizer, and a supplementary valve independent, of the first, but also under the control of the pressure in the tank, for controlling the flow of gas or vapor from the vaporizer to the burner.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. BLAIR.

Witnesses Louis W. SoUTrreii'rn, lHILiP W. SoU'rHeATn. 

